Nepal - Climate

Below the Ka¯thmāndu Valley and throughout the Terai, the
climate is subtropical and, in the swamps and forests, extremely humid.
The valley itself enjoys the temperate conditions generally found
between altitudes of 1,200 and 3,400 m (4,000–11,000 ft). At
1,300 m (4,300 ft) above sea level, the elevation of
Ka¯thmāndu, the rainy season lasts from June to October;
80% of annual precipitation falls during this monsoon season. Colder
weather follows, lasting until the middle of March, when the warm season
begins. The warm season increases in intensity until broken by the
rains, which account for precipitation of about 150 cm (60 in) annually.
Temperatures in Ka¯thmāndu in January range from an
average minimum of 2°
C
(36°
F
) to an average maximum of 18°
C
(64°
F
); the July range is 20–29°
C
(68–84°
F
). Northward of the Ka¯thmāndu Valley, a subalpine zone
continues to altitudes of about 4,300 m (14,000 ft); above that
elevation, the country is covered with snow during the long winter, and
extreme cold is experienced in the upper Himalayas.